1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an improved apparatus and a method for applying a fabric material, preferably but not exclusively a wire or fiberglass cloth screen fabric to a rectangular frame having a fabric peripheral retention groove and securing the fabric material therein and wherein the apparatus is substantially entirely automatic.
2. Description of Prior Art
It is known to apply a cloth material such as a screen material to a rectangular frame by the use of substantially automatic machinery as is disclosed, for example, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,695,445. However, such methods and apparatus have not proven successful due to various reasons such as inoperability, malfunction, machine down time, high cost, bulky machinery, and particularly slow operation. Also, with the above referenced patent, it is necessary to cut sheets of the screening material with precise dimensions, and if such sheets are not oriented perfectly over the retention frame, then an improper assembly results. Also, if the sheet material sags or has a ripple therein, then it will not be secured entirely along the retention groove of the frame.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,753,897 teaches a further method of assembling a screening material to a rectangular frame, and again in this method the fabric material is cut into sheets and secured to the frame in a die wherein the spline cord is pushed into the retention groove of the frame by a single piston action. Such a machine is very labor intensive as it requires personnel to position the spline cord, the screening sheet and the frame into the die and then actuate the die and remove the screen frame. It is also necessary to ensure that the screen is entirely flat in the die cavity and free of ripples. This method is also time consuming and not commercially feasible.